PM Should Own Up Responsibility For Scams, Says CPI (M)

Kolkata, Aug 7: The CPI(M) today demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh own up responsibility for the corruption scandals plaguing his government including on 2G and KG basin issues, but stopped short of asking for his resignation.

“The role of Prime Minister in the scandals involving the 2G spectrum distribution and KG basin is questionable. He must own up the responsibility,” CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters at the end of the two-day party central committee meeting here.

On why he was not asking for Singh's resignation, Karat said, “The story is not over. It is still unfolding, wait and see.”

He said the argument that some body is honest does not absolve him of the responsibility for what his Cabinet does.

“Irrespective of who is honest or who has integrity something is happening under your watch and when all this is happening, what is your responsibility? The issue is not whether I am honest or dishonest, but under me there is a team of pilferers and pickpockets. So what is my responsibility in this?” Karat said.

The senior CPI(M) leader claimed that in both the 2G and KG basin issues, the Prime Minister was “fully aware” of the developments, but did not stop the wrongdoings.

“We had written six letters to the Prime Minister about wrongdoings in 2G spectrum allotment issue, but he did not do anything,” Karat alleged.

“There seems to be an exponential growth in corruption in the UPA-II government,” he said.

He said that the Left's stated position was that the Prime Minister should be brought under the Lokpal. “There is no justification that prime minister will come under its purview only after he retires.”

“Everyday a new scandal is coming out, whether it is 2G, KG or CWG games,” Karat said.

“The Delhi government has been indicted in the CAG report and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has been named. It is a practice that the person should resign if named and not hold office till being absolved, but this has not happened in this case,” the CPI(M) leader said.

Demanding that all persons involved in the scams should be brought to book, he said, “We are fortunate that the Supreme Court intervened in the 2G case and due to this a former central minister and others are in jail.” Taking on the BJP, he alleged that the Karnataka BJP was involved in “loot of the country's natural resources”.

“In connection with the mining scam, B S Yeddyurappa has resigned as chief minister of Karnataka, but that is insufficient, all those involved in the scam should be prosecuted,” Karat said. PTI